Flights and trains disrupted by Dutch weather as code orange issued for snow
By Simone Jacobs
A code orange weather warning has been issued for several provinces as snow and ice cause slippery conditions across the Netherlands. Hundreds of flights have been cancelled and public transport faces disruptions due to the wintry weather.
Snowy Dutch weather causes concerns over slippery roads
The Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) has issued a code orange for snow and ice from 8am until 12pm on Monday, January 5. The weather warning is in place for North Holland, South Holland, Utrecht, Zeeland, Friesland, Groningen, Flevoland and Drenthe. A code yellow applies to the whole of the Netherlands until Wednesday morning.
According to KNMI, 2 to 5 centimetres of snow is expected to fall during the morning, potentially even up to 8 centimetres, which could cause slippery conditions on Dutch roads. “There is a risk of accidents due to slippery bridges, roads, cycle paths, and sidewalks.”
Winter snow causes traffic disruptions in the Netherlands
Drivers can expect a busy rush hour on Monday morning as weather conditions cause delays. Gritting trucks and snow ploughs should be given space to drive past and drivers should not overtake them.
Hundreds of flights were cancelled over the weekend due to the flurry of snow that arrived in the Netherlands. The disruptions are set to continue at the beginning of this week, with Schiphol airport warning of further delays and cancellations due to the weather and “aircraft de-icing”.
Dutch airports urge passengers to check their current flight information before leaving for the airport. Public transport has also been affected, with trains between Eindhoven and Heerlen, Rotterdam and Breda, and more seeing disruptions on the weekend.
Dutch railway operator NS has warned that travellers should be prepared for delays and cancellations as several locations in the Netherlands face train disruptions on Monday. "Due to freezing, switches can become stuck, causing problems for train traffic," said a spokesperson. "At this moment, it is not possible to predict exactly where delays will occur."
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Editor for the Netherlands at IamExpat Media. Simone studied Genetics and Zoology at the University of Pretoria in South Africa before moving to the Netherlands, where she has been working as a writer and editor since 2022. One thing she loves more than creating content is consuming it, mainly by reading books by the dozen. Other than being a book dragon, she is also a nature lover and enjoys hiking and animal training. Read more